Wildcats ground gets planning permission

Wakefield have received full outline planning permission for their proposed new 12,000-seat stadium, the Super League club have announced.

The development on the site of a former colliery at Newmarket, just off the M62, was the subject of a public inquiry in December 2011 but the Wildcats received provisional approval in June, subject to the club providing further information.

Now the scheme has been rubber-stamped by the Secretary of State and work is expected to be completed in time for Wakefield to take their place as anchor tenants at the beginning on the 2015 season.

The stadium will be part of a 100-acre business park and owned by the Wakefield and District Community Trust.

Wildcats chief executive James Elston said: "This is great news and another huge step towards better sporting facilities for the district.

"There has been a lot going on behind the scenes since the planning permission was provisionally passed in June and, with this being rubber-stamped by the Secretary of State, we're now well placed to take that on further and create a really secure future for this club."